The Hunger Games

Introduction The Hunger Games is a fictional book that describes the horrendous state of the current society. The author uses metaphors to describe the class distinctions in society as well as the opulence and extravagance of the rich. This paper discusses the class inequality and the role of the media and society in advancing class inequality comparing the book with the modern class differentiation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunger Games – Class inequality discussion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Hunger Games There is a class inequality between people living in the Capitol and the ones living in 12 districts. The class inequality represents itself in several ways, but mostly, people in such districts do not have sufficient food, and there are observed cases of starvation. Katniss, the main character in the book, has to engage in illegal hunting â€Å"the hunger games† in order to b e able to provide for her family. What is more, not many families know how to hunt. In the Capitol, on the other hand, there is plenty of food. Katniss is awed by her large breakfast of eggs, hams, fried potatoes and other delicacies during her stay in the Capitol, meaning that people there do not experience any shortage of food, while people from districts are starving. Secondly, people in Capitol are more advanced in terms of technological developments. For example, Katniss takes a shower for the first time in her life during her visit to the Capitol. The government controls the resources in the districts. The people are restricted from travelling outside their homes and districts, which limits their ability to interact with each other and as such mobilize resources. The education offered is biased in order to limit any rebellion in the people against the Capitol. The class inequality, therefore, favours the people in the Capitol. The beliefs and norms of the people in Panem are c entred on the self-interest; they are obsessed to acquire the comfort and lifestyle of the affluent people. Panem is not a meritocracy but the society full of class differences. In a meritocratic society, the people’s progress in life is based on their abilities and not their socio-economic status. In Panem, this is not the case. The ones who survive in the hunger games are the tributes from the wealthier districts since they are able to afford sufficient food and prior training in preparation for the games. The people who succeed economically are the ones in the wealthier districts. The people in the poorer districts are too preoccupied with their thoughts of surviving a single day; what bothers them is earning money, which is a problem for them. The structure of the society influences the outcome of the hunger games. First of all, the poor people have higher probabilities to be selected for the hunger games since they trade food for the chance to take part in them. Secondly , the participants from the wealthy districts are well-fed and fitter than those in the poor districts.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They usually train for a longer time, which makes them comfortable in handling the weapons. The participants from the poorer districts, on the other hand, usually handle the weapons for the first time during the games; they are weak as they are malnourished and underfed. They do not have any prior trainings before the games. More participanst are, therefore, selected from the poorer districts who rarely survive. The media in Panem plays a critical role in socializing between the rich and poor people. The poor and the rich are united when watching the hunger games, which enables them to do something together. It is acceptable since the games are regarded as entertainment; people forget about the real aim and end results of the games. Such gam es are highly televised; the tributes are adorned in costumes. It is important how the tributes appear before the huge number of people, and whether they will be given gifts. There are televised interviews of the tributes which everyone watches, making the games appear as entertainment yet these young people are fighting for their lives. During the games, there is a large audience watching as the tributes fight for their lives; the same situation can be observed in the modern world, for instance, reality shows with the rich and famous, in which ordinary people get to know about their personal lives, which is also considered as entertainment. There are also shows where ordinary people get to participate in reality shows themselves; everything shown there be it good or bad, is a sort of entertainment for a host of people. Similar to the way the tributes want to have sponsors, the reality TV actors and producers want popularity for the show to be commercially viable. At the end of the hunger games, the winner is interviewed; this is another source of entertainment for people. Just like in the reality shows, the winner is being applauded without any consideration of the tactics he or she used to win the game, in other words, whether it has been ethical or not. Allan Johnson argues that social structures cause people to follow the path of least resistance. People occupy certain positions within a social structure, which are interrelated. The relationships between the positions influence how much they can accomplish.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunger Games – Class inequality discussion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People have great expectations of the other people and the roles they play. The expectations are influenced by the beliefs, values, norms and attitudes of the people. People avoid being in situations where they are the odd one out. They do not want to be known as de fiant or peculiar. They, therefore, engage in charades where they play along with the system. The suppression of one’s true feelings or views in order to fit in is defined as following the path of least resistance (Johnson 86). In Panem the class inequality and power structure cause people in the poorer districts and Capitol to follow the path of least resistance. Katniss forces herself not to cry when she sees Prim being chosen as a tribute and being led to the stage. She does not want to be perceived as a weak person (Collins 23). Peeta and Katniss cooperate during the training and the interview sessions that are held every year for the tributes. They are advised to pay more attention to their appearances so as to ensure that the people love and admire them. They are both disgusted by the games, however, they comply and choose the path of least resistance. Katniss offers entertainment for the audience by kissing Peeta since she knows that the crowd will appreciate the roman tic entertainment. A gift from Haymitch after the session confirms her hopes. There was also an opportunity during the last interview to announce that the decision to take the poisonous berries was a sign of rebellion against the Capitol. However, she gets afraid and instead decides to take the path of least resistance. She explains to the interviewer that she did not want to lose Peete. She knows this answer will please the Capitol. The Hunger Games, though fictional has great sociological concepts which students can learn a lot from. The gap between the rich and the poor is too large. Poverty continues to prosper because the society has chosen not to take care of the poor. The people are concerned with what society think of them. They choose to keep quiet over issues that they should find the strength to talk about, such as inequalities and violence. People are more focused on enriching their lives and accumulating possessions, such as houses, clothes, cars and food. The people ar e fascinated with entertainment; they are captured by the lives of supermodels, singers, athletes and other celebrities. The book also touches on the exploitation of capitalism by showing the poor workers on the farms while the owners keep getting more affluent.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People involved in showbiz careers are focused on the comfort of their lives, and do not mind showing their opulence and extravagance to the society. They do not consider the fact that some of the people among the audiences are poor and cannot spend a lot of money on luxuries. In the Nacirema, the author showed the American lifestyle that concentrates too much on themselves and their comfort. The body rituals of these ancient people preoccupy their minds the same way accumulation of possessions is the focus of the current society. Conclusion The author has been successful in capturing the present United States culture to show where the country is currently heading to if things do not change. It will be a society where the rich are unmoved by the plight of the poor. They will be wasting all their time on entertainment and opulence. Works Cited Collins, Suzzanne. The Hunger Games. USA: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print. Johnson, Allan. The Forest and the Trees: Sociology as Life, Practice and  Promise. United States: Temple University Press, 1997. Print. This essay on The Hunger Games – Class inequality discussion was written and submitted by user Chameleon to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. The Hunger Games The Hunger Games is a trilogy authored by Suzanne Collins. The author gives a story of a woman who aims at achieving the ultimate prize. The film director, Gary Ross, presents the contents of the book in a film in concise way. Even though some contents are left out, the book presents the ideas of the author in a simple way. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunger Games specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, he simplifies the concepts that are unclear in the book. A number of differences between the book and the movie exit. A brief analysis of the interview that covers Seneca Crane’s work on the seventy-fourth general meeting of the Hunger games helps in developing a notion of a moving environment outside Katniss’ personal feelings. This brings on board the capitol and other key players. In the book, District 12 has the right to look after its own affairs. This is not clearly illustrat ed in the movie as less time is shared with people who live there. The film does not show the family of Gale and at the same time, Peeta’s father is not shown. This is in spite of the fact that the family relationship between Gale and Katniss is important. This eventually makes it difficult to expose the family ties of Katniss (Collins 37). Whereas the book illustrates that Katniss is not given the mocking jay pin as a token of appreciation for her tribute to Rue, the movie is different. The relationship between the two sisters is evident when Katniss gives the icon to Prim before her departure. She had bought the pin at the Hob. She also explains how protective the pin would be to her sister. As much as Peeta is emotionally attached to Katniss, the book develops a balanced strategy between his intellect and prowess. Peeta is willing to do all he can to protect Katniss. The movie portrays Peeta as an individual who does not have the mechanism for personal survival. The time spent by Katniss while in the woods is not given sufficient coverage in the movie. This means that the movie fails to illustrate her fighting spirit the way it is presented in the novel. Compared to the book, the movie covers Seneca and President Snaw in a better way. The capacity they have concerning what they are capable of doing, as well as showing how life is full of up hills, are some of the issues the movie covers properly (Collins 78). In an attempt to set the stage for subsequent scenes, District 2 goes against the wishes of Rue yet it is expected that she will be given bread for her effort. This part creates disharmony in the flow of events, especially to a viewer who has not read the whole novel. Irrespective of Gale’s importance in Katniss life, he is given a very limited coverage in the first scene. The book is clear in creating the triangle of love involving Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we c an help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The film creates a confusing moment in the murder of Cato. Katniss’ role in Cato’s death is mild and not well brought out. Though he dies from injuries after he was stabbed with an arrow, Cato had lost hope in life following the realization that his life was worthless. The differences that are seen when a movie and the novel are compared do not indicate failure ineffectiveness in the side of the producer. His efforts are worth appreciating, as the job done was exemplary. Works Cited Collins, Suzanne. Catching fire. New York: Scholastic Inc, 2009. Print. Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Inc, 2009. Print. This essay on The Hunger Games was written and submitted by user Allan H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Honest to Goodness Truth on Professional College Paper Writers

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Essay Topics on Indian Removal

Essay Topics on Indian RemovalIf you are writing an essay for your final exam, and you are unsure what essay topics to choose, consider one of the following topics. It might not be the most attractive topic ever, but it is important to consider these essay topics. If you plan to read this information in future assignments, you will find that these essay topics can help you with your essay writing. Now, let's get into a few examples of topics that you might want to consider when writing an essay.The first topic for an essay on Indian removal that you can use is WWI. To include this topic in your essay, you will need to list the year of the war, names of soldiers killed in the war, specific events that occurred during the war, and any other facts about the war that you feel is relevant. Here, you should include a lot of specific details about the war but also mention other aspects of it that will be helpful to your reader. For example, if you're writing a history class, you could discu ss the ethnicity of soldiers from each side of the war. That will give you an opportunity to show that each side of the war was just as bad as the other.In addition to the ethnicity of soldiers on each side of the war, you should also include the nationality of the soldiers who fought, because the Americans were mostly made up of Americans. The problem with using this essay topic, though, is that you cannot make all of the facts of the war apply to the soldiers from each side of the war. However, that doesn't mean that this topic is useless, because there are some good points that it makes.An essay topic that makes a good point about WWI is that the people of Europe did not like the fact that many British soldiers died fighting in WWI. When they heard the news of the death of a soldier, they would often times call the British 'wee bit cowards' because of the way they had sacrificed their lives. This is a good point about the sacrifice that a soldier makes for their country. So, if y ou can show this with your essay, it can make for a better essay, especially if you're aiming for an A- in your final exam.Another good essay topics on Indian removal is the Japanese American internment camps during WWII. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan. Because of this, the US sent out armed troops to control the Japanese citizens in the West Coast. These soldiers came across a lot of problems with Japanese Americans because many people, especially the children, were too afraid to speak with them.These problems included not getting proper documentation to prove their citizenship. They also had trouble showing them this documentation. While many of the families were asked to leave because of their race, many chose to stay. What most did was to avoid having to give up their homes, which caused many more problems with schools and community.One of the best essay topics on Indian removal for you to include is the treatment of Native Ame ricans by the US government. The policies were meant to remove the Indians from the west so that the United States could have land for its citizens. Some of the policy ideas were considered racist and were not considered to be ideal. For example, these policies would force Indian people to eat crops that were grown on Indian land, and others would force them to live in reservations where they weren't allowed to speak their own language.These essay topics are all good, but if you want to include a topic that will help you make a good impression on your reader, then this is the one for you. With this one, you should write about how the United States government dealt with its residents who had certain ethnic backgrounds. So, consider this topic when you are writing an essay for your final exam.

What Everybody Dislikes About An Essay Writing How to Write about Yourself and Why

What Everybody Dislikes About An Essay Writing How to Write about Yourself and Why The Tried and True Method for an Essay Writing How to Write about Yourself in Step by Step Detail Later, once you get the simple essay format down pat, your topic sentence won't necessarily will need to be the very first sentence. Ensure your very first sentence demonstrates the good and the terrible things behind your distinct subject of choice. Expository essay utilizes formal language to go over someone or something. To conclude while writing an opinion essay make certain you make use of suitable sentence construction and very good grammar. Where to Find an Essay Writing How to Write about Yourself Our customized scholarship essay writing service offers you an opportunity to acquire online cheap customized essays that are backed with superior customer support. 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College Essay - Tips To Ensure That Your College Essay Is In The Best Shape

College Essay - Tips To Ensure That Your College Essay Is In The Best ShapeIf you are a student who is working on his or her degree, you must have a good idea of what you are getting yourself into when it comes to comparing the essays you write for your college degree essay art sample. If you are an English major, there is no better time than now to make sure that you are doing the best job possible in your curriculum. Writing an essay and seeing it published is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can go through in life.You have to realize that you can't do this alone. There is always someone behind you, and this is doubly true if you are dealing with essays for your degree. As soon as you finish writing one of these essays, make sure you get it written down on paper. This is to make sure that it is ready for publication when the right person sees it.It would be foolish of you to think that you can stay out of trouble by being the kind of student who has academic excellence, but it is something that you have to work at. The more papers you write, the more sense it makes for you to make sure that the essay you are writing for your school paper is as good as you can make it.When it comes to your essay art sample, the first thing you have to do is find a good art teacher for you to read through. This is a person who will be able to show you how he or she would write for you, and what style that would fall under. Of course, this person should be the one who can write whatever the subject matter is that you are working on.A very important aspect that is included in your college essay art sample is that you should be willing to submit it to the school board, if they ask you to. Most schools are going to look at your college application materials and your college transcript. If your essay gets to be at the top of their list, then they will send you an appointment to sit down and discuss your college essay for them.This does not mean that you have to give up o n college essay or anything like that. Just making sure that the person who is assigning you the college essay for you to write really knows what they are doing is a good idea. It is not the end of the world if you get an appointment and the professor does not take your college essay to heart, but you will not get another one if it turns out poorly.You are not the only one who is concerned about getting a good college essay for yourself. This is a large undertaking that you should be proud of if you are taking it seriously. Make sure that you are giving it your best, as well as trying to show the professor that you are someone who is going to do what they want when it comes to your college essay.

What is the Average Salary by Age in the United States

What is the Average Salary by Age in the United States What is the average salary by age in the United States? How much do people your age typically make? Are you above, below, or at the average percentile? According to the study conducted by CreditRepair.com, age does have a correlation to earning potential. The  average salary by age is highest for people ages 35-44, followed by ages 45-54. However, age is not the only factor that determines salary. The data below suggests that race is the largest factor in determining how much money you make, followed by gender. In 3 out of 5 age groups, Asians outperform all other races. Conversely, men outperform women in every age group.This suggests age  definitely plays a role but it is often influenced by other factors.That being said, let’s take a further look at how age, race, gender play a role in determining salary potentialSource: [BusinessInsider]

Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824 Landmark Legal Case

Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824 Landmark Legal Case The Supreme Court case Gibbons v. Ogden established important precedents about interstate commerce when it was decided in 1824. The case arose from a dispute concerning early steamboats chugging about in the waters of New York, but principles established in the case resonate to the present day. The decision in Gibbons v. Ogden created an enduring legacy as it established the  general principle that interstate commerce as mentioned in the Constitution included  more than just the buying and selling of goods. By considering the operation of steamboats to be interstate commerce, and thus activity coming under the authority of the federal government, the Supreme Court established a precedent which would impact many later cases. The immediate effect of the case was that it struck down a New York law granting a monopoly to a steamboat owner. By eliminating the monopoly, the operation of steamboats became a highly competitive business beginning in the 1820s. In that  atmosphere of competition, great fortunes could be made. And the greatest American fortune of the mid-1800s, the enormous wealth of Cornelius Vanderbilt, could be traced to the decision that eliminated the steamboat monopoly in New York. The landmark court case involved young Cornelius Vanderbilt. And Gibbons v. Ogden also  provided a platform and cause for Daniel Webster, a lawyer and politician whose oratorical skills would come to influence American politics for decades. However, the two men for whom the case was named, Thomas Gibbons and Aaron Ogden, were fascinating characters in their own right. Their personal histories, which included them being neighbors, business associates, and eventually bitter enemies, provided a raucous background to the lofty legal proceedings. The concerns of steamboat operators in the early decades of the 19th century seem quaint and very distant from modern life. Yet the decision rendered by the Supreme Court in 1824 influences life in America to  the present day. The Steamboat Monopoly The great value of steam power became apparent in the late 1700s, and Americans in the 1780s were working, mostly unsuccessfully, to build practical steamboats. Robert Fulton, an American living in England, had been an artist who became involved in designing canals. During a trip to France, Fulton was exposed to advances in steamboats. And, with the financial backing of the wealthy American ambassador to France, Robert Livingston, Fulton began working to build a practical steamboat in 1803. Livingston, who had been one of the nations founding fathers, was very wealthy and possessed extensive  landholdings. But he also possessed another asset with the potential to be enormously valuable: He had secured, through his political connections, the right to have a monopoly on steamboats in the waters of New York State. Anyone who wanted to operate a steamboat had to partner with Livingston, or purchase a license from him. After Fulton and Livingston returned to America, Fulton launched his first practical steamboat, The Clermont, in August 1807, four years after he met up with Livingston. The two men soon had a thriving business. And under New York law, no one could launch steamboats in New York waters to compete with them. Competitors Steam Ahead Aaron Ogden, a lawyer  and veteran of the Continental Army, was elected governor of New Jersey in 1812 and sought to challenge the steamboat monopoly by buying and operating a steam-powered ferry. His attempt failed. Robert Livingston had died, but his  heirs, along with Robert Fulton, successfully defended their monopoly in the courts. Ogden, defeated but still believing he could turn a profit, obtained a license from the Livingston family and operated a steam ferry between New York and New Jersey. Ogden had become friends with Thomas Gibbons, a wealthy lawyer and cotton dealer  from Georgia who had moved to New Jersey. At some point the two men had a dispute and things turned inexplicably bitter. Gibbons, who had participated in duels back in Georgia, challenged Ogden to a duel in 1816. The two men never met to exchange gunfire. But, being two very angry lawyers, they began a series of antagonistic legal maneuvers against each other’s business interests. Seeing great potential, both to make money and harm Ogden, Gibbons decided that he would go into the steamboat business and challenge the monopoly. He also hoped to put his adversary Ogden out of business. Ogden’s ferry, the Atalanta, was matched by a new steamboat, the Bellona, which Gibbons put into the water in 1818. To pilot the boat, Gibbons had hired a  boatman in his mid-twenties named Cornelius Vanderbilt. Growing up in a Dutch community on Staten Island, Vanderbilt had started his career as a teenager running a small boat called a periauger between Staten Island and Manhattan. Vanderbilt quickly became known about the harbor as someone who worked relentlessly. He possessed keen sailing skill, with an impressive knowledge of every current in the notoriously tricky waters of New York Harbor. And Vanderbilt was fearless when sailing in rough conditions. Thomas Gibbons put Vanderbilt to work as the captain of his new ferry in 1818. For Vanderbilt, used to being his own boss, it was an unusual situation. But working for Gibbons meant he could learn a lot about steamboats. And he also must have realized he could learn a lot about business from watching how Gibbons waged his endless battles against Ogden. In 1819 Ogden went to court to shut down the ferry run by Gibbons. When threatened by process servers, Cornelius Vanderbilt continued sailing the ferry back and forth. At points he was even arrested. With his own growing connections in New York politics, he was generally able to get the charges thrown out, though he did rack up a number of fines. During a year of legal skirmishing the case between Gibbons and Ogden  moved through the New York State courts. In 1820 the New York courts upheld the steamboat monopoly. Gibbons was ordered to cease operating his ferry. The Federal Case Gibbons, of course, was not about to quit. He chose to appeal his case to the federal courts. He had obtained what was known as a â€Å"coasting† license from the federal government. That allowed him to operate his boat along the coasts of the United States, in accordance with a law from the early 1790s. The position of Gibbons in his federal case would be that federal law should supersede state law. And, that the commerce clause under Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution  should be interpreted to mean that carrying passengers on a ferry was interstate commerce. Gibbons sought out an impressive attorney to plead his case: Daniel Webster, the New England politician who was gaining national fame as a great orator. Webster seemed the perfect choice, as he was interested in advancing the cause of business in the growing country. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had been hired by Gibbons because of his tough reputation  as a sailor, volunteered to travel to Washington to meet with Webster and another prominent lawyer and politician, William Wirt. Vanderbilt was largely uneducated, and throughout his life he would often be considered a fairly coarse character. So he seemed an unlikely character to be dealing with Daniel Webster. Vanderbilt’s desire to be involved in the case indicates that he recognized its great importance to his own future. He must have realized that dealing with the legal issues would teach him a lot. After meeting with Webster and Wirt, Vanderbilt remained in Washington while the case first went to the U.S. Supreme Court. To the disappointment of Gibbons and Vanderbilt, the nation’s highest court refused to hear it on a technicality, as the courts in New York State had not yet entered a final judgment. Returning to New York City, Vanderbilt went back to operating the ferry, in violation of the monopoly, while still  trying to avoid the authorities and at times skirmishing with them in local courts. Eventually the case was put on the Supreme Court’s docket, and arguments were scheduled. At the Supreme Court In early Februrary 1824 the case of Gibbons v. Ogden was argued in the Supreme Court chambers, which were, at that time, located in the U.S. Capitol. The case was briefly mentioned in the New York Evening Post on February 13, 1824. There was actually considerable public interest in the case due to changing attitudes in America. In the early 1820s the nation was approaching its 50th anniversary, and a general theme was that business was growing. In New York, the Erie Canal, which would transform the country in major ways, was under construction. In other places canals were operating, mills were producing fabric, and early factories were producing any number of products. To show off all the industrial progress America had made in its five decades of freedom, the federal government even invited an old friend, the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the country and tour all 24 states. In that atmosphere of progress and growth, the idea that one state could write a law that might arbitrarily restrict business was seen as a problem which needed to be solved. So while the legal battle between Gibbons and Ogden may have been conceived in a bitter rivalry between two cantankerous lawyers, it was obvious at the time that the case would have implications across American society. And the public seemed to want free trade, meaning restrictions shouldnt be placed by individual states. Daniel Webster argued that portion of the case with his usual eloquence. He delivered a speech which was later considered important enough to be included in anthologies of his writings. At one point Webster stressed that it was well-known why the U.S. Constitution had to be written after the young country encountered many problems under The Articles of Confederation: â€Å"Few things are better known than the immediate causes which led to the adoption of the present Constitution; and there is nothing, as I think, clearer, than that the prevailing motive was to regulate commerce; to rescue it from the embarrassing and destructive consequences resulting from the legislation of so many different States, and to place it under the protection of a uniform law.† In his impassioned argument, Webster stated that creators of the Constitution, when speaking of commerce, fully intended it to mean the entire country as a unit: â€Å"What is it that is to be regulated? Not the commerce of the several States, respectively, but the commerce of the United States. Henceforth, the commerce of the States was to be a unit, and the system by which it was to exist and be governed must necessarily be complete, entire, and uniform. Its character was to be described in the flag which waved over it, E Pluribus Unum.† Following Websters star performance, William Wirt also spoke for Gibbons, making arguments about monopolies and commercial law. The lawyers for Ogden then spoke to argue in favor of the monopoly. To many members of the public, the monopoly had seemed unfair and outdated, a throwback to some earlier era. In the 1820s, with business growing in the young country, Webster seemed to have captured the American mood with an oration that evoked the progress that was possible when all the states operated under a system of uniform laws. The LandmarkDecision After a few weeks of suspense, the Supreme Court announced its decision on March 2, 1824. The court voted 6-0, and the decision was written by Chief Justice John Marshall.  The carefully reasoned decision, in which Marshall generally agreed with Daniel Websters position, was published widely, including on the front page of the New York Evening Post on March 8, 1824. The Supreme Court struck down the steamboat monopoly law. And it declared that it was unconstitutional for states to enact laws that restricted interstate commerce. That decision in 1824 about steamboats has had an impact ever since. As new technologies came along in transportation and even communication, efficient operation across state lines  has been possible thanks to Gibbons v. Ogden.   An immediate effect was that Gibbons and Vanderbilt were now free to operate their steam ferry. And Vanderbilt naturally saw great opportunity and began building his own steamboats. Others also got into the steamboat trade in the waters around New York, and within years there was bitter competition between boats carrying freight and passengers. Thomas Gibbons did not get to enjoy his victory for long, as he died two years later. But he had taught Cornelius Vanderbilt a lot about how to conduct business in a freewheeling and ruthless manner. Decades later, Vanderbilt would tangle with Wall Street operators Jay Gould and Jim Fisk in the battle for the Erie Railroad, and his early experience watching Gibbons in his epic struggle  with Ogden and others must have served him well. Daniel Webster went on to become one of the most prominent politicians in America, and along with Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, the three men known as the  Great Triumvirate would dominate the U.S. Senate.